Finding the Pure Note

Epilogue: I Don't Think I'd Mind

It's a strange sensation. Like sinking, but instead of drowning, I'm slipping through clouds. But that's what it's like meeting your little nephew for the very first time. It's surreal and brilliant, and I kinda wanna cry.

Riley waves at me and I wave back, cursing Skype for flickering and crackling like the shoddy thing it is. I can't really complain though. It lets me see my family, and that's worth all the hassle.

We're still in Sicily, and we're not due back until Christmas Eve. Just in time for Christmas. Mum had a heart attack when we told her this holiday would just touch on the tail end of December. She was adamant we don't miss out on Christmas with the whole family. A highly optimistic picture she painted where Caitlyn and Riley sat around the Christmas tree—one big, normal, happy family. We all know the likelihood of Caitlyn stopping by, and if I couldn't make it either... There were a lot of heated words. Things better left unsaid. Happy times.

This is the fourth hotel we've stayed in, and by far it's the best. We have a balcony which faces the sea, and a glistening blue sky is our backdrop, the distant squawk of seagulls our music.

Chelsea pushes into me, waving excitedly at Riley, and Fletcher does the same on the other side.

"Guys," I protest. "You don't need to squish into frame. They can see the whole room..."

"We know," Chelsea says, smirking.

Fletcher wraps his arm around our necks and nuzzles his head against mine.

"We just love you this much."

I roll my eyes but accept his kiss, a gift never grown stale with passing.

Caitlyn hoists Riley up onto her lap and is practically beaming.

"You guys are so adorable," she says. On her left, Neil enters the frame, rocking a fluffy violet bathrobe with floral patterns, and sits down, giving a curt wave. He has serious bed hair and clearly likes to share Caitlyn's wardrobe when the need arises. Neil's a pretty attractive guy, something mum couldn't help but notice in all her grumbling about him.

"Not as cute as you and Riley though," I counter.

Caitlyn slaps Neil on the shoulder, eyes bulging.

"Oh shoot! I just realised, this is actually the first time you guys have seen each other." Riley looks distracted, but when he catches my eye, I wave, and he smirks a toothless smirk. "Photos and phone calls don't count. We need to fix this. Riley needs to hug his uncle and you need to spoil him with toys."

Neil chuckles. "I hear Riley has his eyes on that Olaf plush from Frozen. Cough cough, just a thought."

I smile wistfully, but make a silent promise to definitely spoil the kid rotten when we do actually get to meet face-to-face. But shit, I'm an uncle. And as mum and dad both begrudgingly accepted, that makes them grandparents. Dad is eager to meet Riley. Mum's the only one of us whose seen Riley in person. She went to visit on one of her days off. It was school for me and Hunter and she wouldn't let us skip. We'd asked to visit our nephew since and she kept grumbling about how busy she was. In the moments I wasn't being an absolute selfish prick, I'd begged Caitlyn to get Skype. No duh, she's been super friggin' busy since Riley's birth and she only recently got Skype. Her phone is too crappy to even video chat. Still, it's been over a year. It doesn't seem right.

I dunno, I think this Christmas is gonna be different. I think our family won't be splintered for much longer. There's no chance in hell that the feud that tore this family apart... er, the first time, would ever get in the way of mum and dad wanting to see their grandson on a very regular basis.